Why Do State Constitutional Amendments Matter?

media release: A League of Women Voters of Dane County Virtual Public Issues Forum, online via Zoom

Two proposed amendments to the state constitution regarding election administration will appear on the ballot for the April 2 Spring Election. This forum will address the procedure for amending the state constitution, the specific language being proposed, and the potential effects if these amendments are passed.

The public is invited to this virtual forum.

Speakers:

David T. Canon (Ph.D., political science, University of Minnesota) recently retired from teaching classes on American government at the UW–Madison Department of Political Science. He is also affiliated with the UW–Madison Elections Research Center, conducting research focused on election administration, American political institutions, Congress, and related topics. Now, he works as editor of the Election Law Journal. He has published several books on American politics and political institutions and is an expert on legislative systems and politics.

Before joining the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign as executive director in 2023, Nick Ramos worked as the Wisconsin Voter ID Coalition Coordinator with VoteRiders, a nonprofit organization that works to ensure that all eligible voters have access to photo ID in order to cast their ballot and have it count. Nick’s love for civic engagement began during his time in law school, when he participated in voter protection efforts across the state of Wisconsin during the 2016 election cycle and developed strategies to expand voting while recruiting and training hundreds of volunteers. Nick received his B.A. in Philosophy from Miami University and his J.D. from Marquette University Law School.  

As a nonpartisan watchdog group dedicated to clean government, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign tracks money in Wisconsin state politics, providing a public database of campaign contributors, and advocating for meaningful campaign finance and other reforms.

Moderator:

Eileen Newcomer (she/her) manages LWVWI’s nationally recognized election observation program, manages LWVWI’s voter education efforts, and supports local Leagues in their voter service work. She has nearly ten years of experience in the nonprofit sector and earned her master’s degree in Sociomedical Sciences from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. When not working, she spends her time with family and friends, traveling, and volunteering in her community.

Discussion units will meet in the third week of the month to discuss the ideas raised at the forum and to plan actions that may be taken. Find information about discussion units here.